Post by Nanna on Aug 20, 2018 19:05:46 GMT -5

There is a defined difference between a service animal and emotional support animals or therapy animals.

Service animals, and more specifically service dogs, are highly trained assistants with specific jobs to help their companions. Service animals are covered by the ADA, and so are afforded special consideration along with their handlers with regard to access and accommodation.

Therapy animals are often dogs, much like their service dog counterparts, but have different roles and legal designations. They undergo specialized training and provide psychological and physiological assistance to individuals.

Emotional support animals do not require specialized training but provide emotional support to disabled individuals. Emotional support dogs and their owners are not granted the same rights as service animals, but they do enjoy some consideration under the Fair Housing Act.

“Plant your garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.”

Post by Nanna on Aug 20, 2018 19:28:41 GMT -5

6 Different Types of Service Animals

Ferrets An unlikely service animal, ferrets have the natural advantages of being easy-going, highly social, and easily transportable. Ferrets make great emotional support animals since they enjoy burrowing close to their owners, which can be extremely comforting to people needing emotional support. But ferrets make great service animals too. These critters are known for alerting their owners when they’re about to experience a seizure, and ferrets can also be trained to wake someone up, remind their owner to take medication, and even interrupt harmful behaviors.

Boa Constrictors These snakes are known for helping patients with bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and panic disorders, and there are even cases when these snakes can be used to prevent medical emergencies.

Parrots This is a popular animal for treating psychiatric disorders, namely because many species of parrot have the ability to talk to their owners and deescalate them in stressful situations.

Potbelly pigs Both highly intelligent and mild-mannered, potbellied pigs can be trained to do all the same functions as the traditional service dog. The only difference is that they’re far cleaner than dogs and also don’t shed as much

Capuchin Monkeys are native to South America and weigh about 6 to 10 pounds. Capuchins are especially talented at grasping and retrieving, which makes them invaluable companions for quadriplegics and other disabilities that affect fine motor skills. There’s an entire organization in Boston called Monkey Helpers that trains little capuchins to be the hands for people who can’t use their own.

Miniature horsesThis type of service animal has been on the rise in popularity since they’re a great choice for someone who needs physical support to walk. Many people who are blind use miniature horses as their guides instead of dogs, and there’s actually an entire Guide Horse Foundation for this very purpose. Miniature horses can live for up to 30 years. That’s five to seven times longer than your average service dog.

“Plant your garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.”

Post by Nanna on Aug 20, 2018 19:46:03 GMT -5

Animals in Restaurants and Stores

the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides an easily exploited loophole: It explicitly states that “service animals” must be allowed in restaurants (though they’re prohibited from kitchens and storage areas). Service animals are defined as those that perform tasks for people with disabilities. They include everything from a blind person’s seeing-eye dog to a snake whose role is to help its agoraphobic owner feel less freaked out in crowds.

These animals aren’t legally required to wear any identification, nor are their owners required to carry any documents showing their animals’ special status. A person who’s allergic to animals can’t complain and get them kicked out of a restaurant. And though restaurant operators can ask a patron if his or her animal is a service animal, they can’t legally ask for proof or an explanation of what service the animal is providing. This piece of the ADA is often abused by patrons.

Florida was the first to enact a law explicitly allowing dogs in outdoor areas of restaurants. Sheri McInvale, the former state representative who introduced the legislation, says the biggest opposition to the bill had to do with concerns over dog bites and fights, not health issues. The final bill signed into law contained a provision that restaurants had to carry a minimum level of liability insurance in order to participate in the program.

Many restaurant operators, in a tough spot with conflicting ADA restrictions, city health codes, and attitudes of dog-loving patrons, often take their chances and look the other way.

“Plant your garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.”

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